Coming up this week is the Annual Meeting and Trade Show for Practical Farmers of
Iowa (PFI) and we're told it is the largest event to date.
The staff at PFI shared with us that over 450 people have pre-registered for the three day event and they expect several dozen "walk ins".
Why do folks go the the PFI Annual Meeting? To mingle, learn and interact with others committed to conservation practices, organic and sustainable farming. Given the latest news regarding the EPA and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources it would seem this group will only get...larger.
Do you have to be a "farmer" to attend? Nope. If you are into gardening, lawn care or a host of services that have to do with protecting the environment this would seem to be a logical group of like-minded folks.
Here is a link to Practical Farmers of Iowa and information on attending the annual meeting. See you in Ames!
This past week we were fortunate to take part in two agricultural events that were different but still major. On Thursday I was invited to take part in the Agricultural Townhall Meeting sponsored by RFD-TV and held in the Media Center of the Cattle Barn on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Well known farm broadcaster Max Armstrong hosted the full hour event (no commercials) featuring US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack that centered on the drought, the stalled Farm Bill, the future of agriculture for young people and food security.
Some Quotes from Sec. Vilsack:
Congress needs to pass the Farm Bill now because growers/producers need to know where they stand going forward;
A major part of my job is to assure trading partners that the United States is a worthy ally and we take global food security issues seriously;
We need to get back to teaching agriculture issues in the public schools only then will a society, so distanced from the farm, begin to understand the relationship between farm and food;
The future of agriculture in the United States is in good hands given the leadership we see in FFA and other farm directed youth groups;
Agriculture groups need to talk to each other rather than fight among themselves. When we fight it does nothing to present a unified voice to non-farm state leaders.
Big props to RFD-TV and my old friend Patrick Gottsch (in the photo with Max and Sec. Vilsack) for doing these townhall meetings and his continued work to spread the good news of agriculture. I wish I could find the video...it was very informative!
Agriculture & Social Media
My friend Deb Brown has been a brand spokesperson for the 140 Character Conference "The State of Now" for several years. Following two successful events in Des Moines Deb felt that agriculture needed a special event centered on using social media to communicate with each other and the non-ag world. She brought together several of us for the 140 Conference AgIowa. While you'll soon be able to see the 17 presentations on UStream here is a quick video with some fun out-takes from the event.
Coming up, yet this year, Deb will work toward doing a session for Education and for Business all leading up to the Spring 2013 140 Character Conference in Des Moines. Nice job my friend!
Thanks for coming by. If you would like to leave a comment here, feel free. Or, let's connect on my Twitter Stream @RuralLifeRadio. - Michael
